Fastener, particularly for the straps of a ski safety harness



May 21, 1968 G. P J SALOMON 3,

FASTENER, PARTICULARLY FOR THE STRAPS OF A SKI SAFETY HARNESS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 24, 1967 Fig.3

INVENTOR Georges R J.' 5/1LOMOIV y 1953 G. P. J SALOMON 3,

FASTENER, PARTICULARLY FOR THE STRAPS OF A SKI SAFETY HARNESS Filed Feb. 24. 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 6

INVENTOR Georges I. J SALUMfl/V United States Patent 3,383,741 FASTENER, PARTICULARLY FOR THE STRAPS OF A SKI SAFETY HARNESS Georges P. J. Salomon, 34 Ave. de Loverchy, Annecy, Haute-Savoie, France Filed Feb. 24, 1967, Ser. No. 618,400 Claims priority, application France, Feb. 25, 1966, 51,239; Sept. 19, 1966, 76,896 6 Claims. (Cl. 24236) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A fastener for tying together a first and a second strap end, of the type wherein one strap end has a hook and the other strap end has a buckle insertable into the hook. The hook has secured thereon a spring blade extending toward the bent end defining the hook and partially closing it. A releasing arm is articulated to the side of the buckle intended to enter into the hook. The releasing arm freely circumscribes the said buckle side and the tip of the circumscribing part bends outwardly to define therewith an angular seat adapted to sit over the tip of the hook so that when this angular portion sits thereon and the arm is pivoted in a predetermined direction, the buckle side portion is forced upward against the spring blade and through the opening to be free of the said hook.

The present invention relates to an improved fastener for particular use with the straps of a ski safety harness.

According to the invention, the fastener comprises two elements each of which is made solid with one of the strap ends or with one strap end and a third member such as an element of the ski harness, one of the elements being a hook provided with a flexible blade allowing easy insertion, in the hook, of a portion of the buckle of the other element over which is articulated a releasing arm the opening pivotal movement of which pulls the said buckle portion from the hook in which it was heretofore engaged, by raising the flexible holding blade thus allowing disengagement of the two fastener elements; the pulling being obtained by means of a curved end with which the releasing arm is formed which bears on the bent end defining the hook of the first element.

Always according to the invention, the fastener, on its releasing arm, has a leather lever riveted thereto to facilitate operation; the lever possibly having, besides, a mark, inscription or emboss. Also, the spring blade which may be made of plastic material is held against rotation by means of a hole provided therethrough, through which extends a lug, embossed or pressed, provided on the hook of the fastener.

Again according to the invention, the releasing arm comprises two shoulders coming into abutment against the element over which it is articulated, limiting its displacement in rotation and, hence, avoiding its being returned inwardly of the strap which would hinder rapid and easy operation of the latter. Besides, in order to avoid a users attempt to tie the two ends in reverse, the hook of the fastener has a pair of shoulders over which, during a faulty mounting, the articulation element of the releasing arm abut.

The invention Will be best understood by the following description having reference to the appended drawings illustrating, by way of non-limitative examples, preferred embodiments of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of two elements of the fastener in assembled condition, according to the invention, solid with the ends of a strap;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the fastener according to FIGURE 1;

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FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIGURE 1 during uncoupling of its two elements;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the fastener of FIGURE 1, the two elements being shown uncoupled;

FIGURE 5 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of two elements of a fastener, uncoupled, each solid with the ends of a strap;

FIGURE 6 is a plan view of the assembly of FIG- URE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a strap, illustrated during a faulty assembly of its tying buckle.

In FIGURES 1 and 2, the ends 1 and 2 of a strap are made solid with the elements 6 and 7 of a fastener by means of rivets 3. Element 7 is a buckle on the transverse sides 4 and 5 of which are respectively articulated the strap end 2 and an arm 8. The side 5 of the buckle over which the arm 8 is articulated may be slipped into a hook 9 of the fastener element 6 comprising a spring blade 11 secured to element 6 by a rivet 3, blade 11 elastically but incompletely closing the opening of the said element and preventing unwarranted disengagement of the side 5 of the buckle. In fact, a thrust of element 7 along arrow 12 will not release the side 5 of the element 6 but force the said side 5 between the top 13 of element 6 and the spring blade 11 where it is held captive.

The end of element 6 is advantageously made in the form of a screwdriver or of a key thus allowing adjustment of a ski harness.

As will be noted, the articulated end of arm 8 is formed with an outwardly bent end 17 intended to bear against the extremity of the hook 9 in releasing operation of the fastener. Rotation according to arrow 16 of the arm 8 thus results in release of buckle 7 from the hook 9 and, it follows, opening of the strap (FIGURE 4) because the outwardly bent end 17 bears against the end of the hook 9 forcing spring blade 11 upward sufiiciently to free the said buckle 7.

In FIGURES 5 and 6, the strap ends 20 and 21 are each made solid with a fastener element, respectively, a hook 22 and an arm 23. Hook 22 has a boss 26 inserted in a hole 27 through a spring blade 23 to prevent rotation of the latter. The arm 23 is provided with a leather tongue 30 to facilitate handling thereof, tongue 30 being made solid with arm 23 by means of a rivet 29.

Also, the arm 23 which is articulated to the fastener element 31 comprises two shoulders 32 coming into abutment against element 31 and limiting the rotation according to arrow 33 of the said arm in position 38 illustrated in broken lines. This extreme position facilitates handling of the fastener.

Besides, two further shoulders 36 of hook 22 make it possible to avoid mounting of the fastener in reverse, in which case as is clearly apparent from FIGURE 7, the element 31 may not be inserted in the said hook, the end 37 of the arm abutting against the spring blade 28 preventing the insertion. In FIGURE 7, element 31 comes in abutment against the shoulders 32 of the arms 23 and 36 of hook 22.

I claim:

1. Fastener for the straps of a ski safety harness, the said fastener comprising:

(a) a first and a second strap end to be interconnected;

(b) a fastener element secured to said first strap end and defining a hook having an opening facing away from said second strap end;

(0) a spring blade secured to said first strap end and extending toward said hook to partially close said opening;

(d) a buckle mounted on said second end and having one side portion facing said hook; said side portion to engage in said hook in locked condition of said fastener;

(e) a releasing arm articulated at one end to said side portion;

(f) pivoting means at said articulated end to cooperate with the tip of said hook in locked condition of said fastener to rock said side portion about said tip and thus raise said spring blade to force said side portion through said opening and free of said hook upon pivoting of said releasing arm.

2. A fastener according to claim 1, wherein one end of said releasing arm freely circumscribes said side portion, and said pivoting means is formed of the terminal portion of said circumscribing end and a releasing lever angularly projecting away from said circumscribing end.

3. A fastener as claimed in claim 2, wherein said circumscribing end defines laterally projecting shoulders so disposed as to abut said buckle to limit the angle of articulation thereof.

4. A fastener as claimed in claim 3, wherein said hook is formed with laterally projecting shoulders for the abutment of said buckle prior to insertion to prevent mounting of said fastener in reverse.

5. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said spring blade is formed with a hole therethrough and said fastener element has an upstanding boss extending through said hole, said spring blade and fastener element being secured to said first strap end by means of rivets whereby said spring blade is held against rotation.

6. A fastener as claimed in claim 1, wherein said releasing arm has a manual lever made of leather or the like.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 160,266 3/1875 Haynes 24236 259,668 6/1882 Clark 24231 768,903 8/ 1904 McMillan. 2,368,283 1/1945 Zola.

FOREIGN PATENTS 651,721 10/1928 France.

DONALD A. GRIFFIN, Primary Examiner. 

